Doctors call off stir in 3 medical colleges

Bhubaneswar: Agitating junior doctors of the three state-run medical colleges in Orissa today called off their strike and resumed work in `public interest`, two days after a high court passed an order on the matter.

"We have called off the strike and doctors have already resumed duty in the interest of the people," President of Junior Doctors Association (JDA), Burla Medical College, Premraj Debata told reporters here.

The decision to withdraw the nearly three-week stir was taken following a meeting with Orissa Health Minister Prasanna Acharya, JDA leaders said.

While junior doctors of SCB Medical college and hospital at Cuttack and MKCG Medical college, Berhampur, resumed duty today, those of VSS Medical college and hospital would join duty tomorrow, Debata said.

He said the decision to end the strike was taken in view of the Orissa High Court order, public interest and assurance given by the state government though some of the demands of the medicos were yet to be met.

The Orissa High Court had on September 22 directed the state government to provide adequate security at all three government medical colleges and ensure that the prohibitory orders against some persons from entering VSS Medical College and Hospital at Burla are strictly enforced.

The high court also hoped that good sense would prevail upon the striking doctors who would call off their ongoing strike and join their duties.

Junior doctors, house surgeons and post-graduate students of the three government medical colleges had been on a war path expressing solidarity with students of VSS medical college, Burla, who were agitating in protest against alleged assault by outsiders near the campus.

The sine die declared at VSS Medical college had been lifted by the state government on September 20 with promise of security to the students.

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